Kuwait silent on post-war illnesses

From Claire W. Gilbert. 5 February, 1996

The leaders of Kuwait do not wish to cause public fear
concerning whether or not the oil fire smoke spewed into the air
during 1991 from the burning wells caused any long term illnesses.
This goal is apparently accomplished by their refusing to make any
in-depth systematic study which compares pre-Gulf War rates of
illness with current rates of illness. People in Kuwait believe
there is an overall increase in illnesses, notably skin ailments,
but have no proof. This is according to a Reuters story out of
Kuwait (1/16/96).

A senior scientist in Kuwait believes there is excessive
secretiveness. Kuwait has a responsibility also tell expatriates
who rushed in to help rebuild the country about any health risks
they may have run, said Yacoub al-Sultan, assistant director
general of the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR).

The Reuters article quoted him as saying "Authorities have not
wanted to tell the people the extent of the damage . . . To me this
is disastrous . . . We must tell the people about the consequences
of this barbaric attack by Iraq . . . Are our children safe? I, as
a human being, have not been told anything as yet."

Scientists believe they would find an increase in rates of
cancer and respiratory illnesses, says Reuter, but the very same
article strangely concluded there was no increase in cancer rates.
It also concluded there was nothing there equivalent to the Gulf
War Syndrome reported in the U.S. and Britain. It quoted Sultan as
praising the governments of the two countries for recognizing the
Gulf War Syndrome. Apparently it looks different from Kuwait than
it does to observers in the U.S. and Britain, where it appears more
like the illness is being covered up than recognized.

Sultan is a research chemist. He is involved in developing
the state-funded policies of the Institute on science and
technology research. KISR conducts "environmental, industrial and
petroleum research, often with a commercial slant, but has no
mandate to study health issues" according to Reuters.

According to Sultan, an independent group of doctors and
himself requested the government's permission to study for one year
the incidence of several diseases in Kuwait before and after the
oil well fires were ignited. They want to know if there is a link
between public health and the oilfires smoke which went into the
air.

Their proposed investigation would assess the cost of treating
the illnesses judged to be caused from the fires, in order to
submit its costs to the U.N. commission which is coordinating
claims for damages from the occupation. The Kuwaiti government has
not yet decided whether to allow the study to be carried out. The
government says its own research has been adequate and they would
carry out more if there was a need for it.

The Reuters article said a number of scientists privately
believe that Kuwait's own research into war-related illness has
been unfocused and uncoordinated. Official backing has not been
warm. It seems as if their policy is not unlike the U.S. in some
matters ... if we don't study it, it doesn't exist.